Flooding Concerns, Orangetown Development and Leadership Change

At an Orangetown Town Board meeting Aug. 12, Blauvelt resident Lisa DeFeciani was appointed deputy town supervisor, filling the seat previously held by longtime Pearl River resident Dennis Troy, who died earlier this year.

Town Supervisor Teresa Kenny noted Troy’s long legacy of public service and said she took her time finding the right person to fill the vacancy, someone who could honor the work he had done while effectively taking on the responsibilities of the position.

Surrounded by family and friends, DeFeciani took the Oath of Office on a Bible as those in attendance applauded her appointment. Speaking afterward, DeFeciani said she was grateful and honored by the opportunity and committed to continuing the work Troy had begun.

DeFeciani was a longtime Piermont resident before moving to Blauvelt and joining the Orangetown Planning Board in 2021. With her Planning Board seat now open, Kenny encouraged interested residents to apply for the position.

The meeting also included a presentation from JMC Development Consultants regarding a proposed rezoning of the property at 631 Route 303 in Orangeburg.

JMC and the property owner are requesting that the site, currently located within a Laboratory Office, or “LO,” district, be rezoned and reclassified as a Light Industrial, or “LI,” district. The change would allow a nearby Subaru dealership to expand its property, modernize its facilities and bring its sales and service operations together on the same site.

The proposal calls for a roughly 46,000-square-foot facility that would house both sales and service operations under one roof, including a modernized drive-up service department.

Diego Villarreal, principal engineer with JMC, told the board the project could benefit Orangetown through increased tax revenue. He also said the developers would work with the New York State Department of Transportation on landscaping improvements intended to enhance the appearance of Route 303 property.

The Town Board scheduled another hearing for Oct. 6 to continue discussions on the proposal with the Planning Board.

While the meeting addressed appointments and future development, one of its most pressing discussions came from Blauvelt resident Joseph DeStefano, who appeared before the board with his wife and son to describe severe flooding at their home following recent construction of a walking path at South Orangetown Middle School.

According to DeStefano, who works as a laborer, changes made to the grade of the property during construction of the path have effectively created a dam, trapping rainwater and directing it toward his backyard.

Those concerns came to a head during severe storms Aug. 7, when DeStefano said flooding left more than a foot of water on the ground floor of his home, destroyed portions of his yard and displaced his young son, who had been living there.

DeStefano told the board that a feasibility study for a retention pond had previously been conducted because of flooding concerns in the area, but the project was never completed. Compounding the family’s difficulties, he said neither his homeowners insurance nor FEMA has been willing to assist with the costs of salvaging and repairing the damaged property.

His wife, Tina DeStefano, also addressed the board, emphasizing that the family supports improvements within the community but believes those projects should not come at the expense of neighboring residents’ safety, homes and belongings.

The family said they have struggled to get answers from the school district, highway department and other entities regarding who is responsible for addressing the problem. They described their current living situation as unsustainable and expressed concern about what could happen if another major storm hits the area before corrective measures are taken.

In response, Town Board member Paul Valentine was tasked with spearheading the town’s response and working with the DeStefano family and other involved parties to determine what can be done to remedy the flooding problem.